This invention relates to a method of production a somatic hybrid of two species in the genus Lycopersicon.
The introduction of certain desirable traits of wild members of the genus Lycopersicon, such as plant habit, insect and disease resistance and high carotene and vitamin C content of the fruit, into cultivated tomato L.esculentum is restricted since the opportunity for gene flow between the cultivated tomato and its wild relatives is curtailed by interspecific incompatibilities.
Considerable effort has also been directed towards the regeneration of plants from protoplasts in tomato but this seems to be variety dependent and to occur with highly variable results.
An object of this invention is to provide an method of producing a somatic hybrid in the genus Lycopersicon.
Preferably, one species is the wild species Lycopersicon peruvianum which is capable of regeneration from protoplasts.
One desirable hybrid which can be produced by the method of this invention is the cross of L. peruvianum with the cultivated tomato L.esculentum which is not capable of regeneration from protoplasts.